New regulations banning daytime television and online advertising for so-called junk foods will come into force in Britain on Monday, January 5, in what the government has described as a “world-leading action” to tackle childhood obesity.
The ban targets adverts for products high in fat, salt or sugar and will apply to television adverts aired before the 9:00 pm watershed as well as paid advertising online at any time. According to the health ministry, the measures are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year.
Officials said the policy could reduce the number of children living with obesity by about 20,000 and deliver an estimated £2 billion in health benefits.
The move, first announced in December 2024, builds on other recent interventions, including an extension of the sugar tax to pre-packaged items such as milkshakes, ready-to-drink coffees and sweetened yoghurt drinks. Local authorities have also been granted powers to prevent fast food outlets from opening near schools.
The government said evidence shows advertising plays a major role in influencing what and when children eat, shaping preferences from an early age and increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses. It noted that 22 per cent of children starting primary school in England are overweight or obese, rising to more than a third by the time they reach secondary school.
Tooth decay remains the leading cause of hospital admissions for young children aged five to nine, according to officials.
“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9 pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods,” said Ashley Dalton.
He added that the policy was part of a broader effort to shift the National Health Service towards prevention as well as treatment, “so people can lead healthier lives.”
Katharine Jenner, executive director of the Obesity Health Alliance, welcomed the move, describing it as “a long-awaited step towards better protecting children from unhealthy food and drink advertising that can harm their health and wellbeing.”
The charity Diabetes UK also backed the ban. Its chief executive, Colette Marshall, warned that type 2 diabetes is increasingly affecting younger people.
“Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and the condition can have more severe consequences in young people, leaving them at risk of serious complications such as kidney failure and heart disease,” she said.
Bishop Alick Banda ‘loses’ voice during DEC interview
VOCAL Lusaka Archdiocese Archbishop Alick Banda did not have his usual zeal to speak as the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) quizzed him this morning over a Toyota Hilux he dubiously received as a gift from his PF comrades back in 2021.
Before availing himself to the DEC headquarters, Archbishop Banda with the help of opposition leaders rounded up scores of supporters and gathered them in the Cathedral of the Child Jesus for a solidarity mass where they prayed for him to find strength as he faced the authorities.
After the hour-long service, His Grace, dressed in a black clerical robe and a purple zucchetto (hat), led his supporters on foot to the DEC offices, singing hymns and reciting the Hail Mary and the Lord’s Prayer as they marched towards the premises of the commission.
However, as the procession neared the DEC offices, police officers intercepted the group and only allowed the Archbishop, three priests and three lawyers, among them vocal constitutional lawyer John Sangwa, to proceed, leaving the rest of the faithful stranded along the road.
Once inside the interrogation room, as it if to show that his voice was only reserved for criticizing government and homilies during mass, His grace remained tight-lipped as investigators shot question after question.
Seeing that they were trying to squeeze water out of a stone, DEC let their guest leave but not without warning and cautioning him.
The commission’s public relations officer, Allan Tamba said the nation would be updated at an appropriate time regarding the investigations.
“The public may wish to note that when granted an opportunity to explain how he assumed possession of the said motor vehicle, Dr Alick Banda chose to remain silent,” Tamba said.
After the DEC appearance, the cleric and his supporters walked back to the Cathedral of the Child Jesus, this time with no hymns, no prayers and no recitation of the rosary, only silence.
When approached by journalists for a comment, the Archbishop remained as mute as a monk at confession.https://kalemba.news/politics/bishop-alick-banda-loses-voice-during-dec-interview/
IT’S NONSENSE, SAYS KAWANA IN RESPONSE TO RUMOURS OF A SICK HH
Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana has dismissed as “nonsense” rumours circulating that President Hakainde Hichilema has been taken ill and evacuated to South Africa.
Responding to an X message posted by Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa challenging Government to “confirm reports that President Hichilema is unwell and has been flown out of the country for medical attention,” Mr. Kawana gave a one word response “nonsense.”
While acknowledging that “it’s normal to fall sick”, Dr. Sishuwa said “Zambians deserve to know the condition of their President.”
And a Senior State House Aide told KBN TV that “I was just laughing with the boss a while ago, he is enjoying his rest in Namwala.”
ABOUT THE SUMMONING OF ARCHBISHOP ALICK BANDA BY DEC: A ROUTINE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY OR PERSECUTION?
By Sean Tembo – PeP President
1. I have heard and digested both arguments in relation to today’s summoning of Archbishop Alick Banda by the Drug Enforcement Commission. According to the DEC Director General, Mr Nason Banda, he says the Archbishop needs to explain how a government property under ZRA, being Toyota Hilux Reg ALF 7734 ended up being registered in his name, and in his possession. And further that the Archbishop is not above the law.
Those in support of the Archbishop say that documentation about the purchase of the vehicle at an auction, is in the public domain, and that this is mere persecution of the Archbishop by the UPND administration, because the Archbishop often speaks strongly against the current Government.
2. From where I stand, I paid very close attention to the press statements from DEC, both from the Spokesperson Mr Allan Tamba, as well as the Director General. Whereas I found the statement from the Spokesperson to be professional, I found the statement by the DG to be malicious. Especially the part where the DG said the Archbishop needs to explain how a government property ended up in his name. I say so because the DG is fully aware that the vehicle in question was sold by ZRA at an auction, and also that the Archbishop did not acquire the vehicle from the auction, but from the person that bought it from the auction.
3. My question to the DG is simple; what is the suspected wrongdoing or criminal offense on the part of the Archbishop? If the vehicle was sold below it’s market price, then that is an issue of the auctioneers and ZRA management at the time and not the Archbishop. If the disposal procedures were not followed, then that is an issue of the ZRA management and not the Archbishop. If the full auction purchase price was not paid, then that is an issue with the person that initially bought the vehicle at auction and not the Archbishop.
4. The DEC Director General’s statement that the Archbishop needs to explain how a government property ended up in his name appears to have been designed to create a public narrative that the vehicle just suddenly disappeared from government books and appeared in the Archbishop’s possession and name. I find this statement by the DG to be malicious because DEC is aware that there was a ZRA auction where the vehicle in question was disposed of. The documents relating to this disposal are in the public domain, including a copy of the Gate Pass for the final release of the vehicle after auction. By deliberately omitting these details when publicly commenting on the case, the DG was biased and malicious against the Archbishop.
5. Additionally, if indeed DEC merely wanted an explanation from the Archbishop, regarding this motor vehicle, then why issue a Call Out, knowing fully well that a Call Out for such a prominent person can easily leak to the media? I also take issue with the DG’s insinuations that the Call Out was leaked by the Archbishop in order to seek public sympathy, because there is no evidence to that effect. It is possible that the Call Out was leaked by DEC itself in order to scandalize the Archbishop. If this case was not tainted by malice on the part of DEC, and that DEC just genuinely needed some clarifications from the Archbishop, my expectation is that DEC should have just sent some officers to discreetly interview the Archbishop at his office, and that’s it.
6. A Call Out is ordinarily issued to a suspect. And when I look at this case, there is no evidence, even the remotest evidence, to suggest any type of wrongdoing on the part of the Archbishop, to justify why he should have been issued with a Call Out. None whatsoever. So the question that Mr Nason Banda, the DEC Director General should answer, is why he saw it necessary to issue a Call Out instead of just sending officers to interview the Archbishop at his office?
7. Looking at the vehicle in question itself, the registration number is ALF 7734. What this registration number tells you is that the vehicle was first registered sometime in 2010 or early 2011. Looking at the auction documents that are in public domain, the vehicle was auctioned by ZRA in 2020, after about 10 years in service. The average depreciation rate for motor vehicles is 25% on a straight line basis, although others prefer to depreciate at 20%, meaning that in 5 years time, the vehicle would have been fully depreciated and written off in the books of ZRA. In this case, it appears that after the vehicle was fully depreciated, ZRA decided to revalue it and amortized it over an additional 5 years. What this means is that by the time ZRA was auctioning this vehicle, it was a total wreck, because it should have been auctioned in 2015.
8. I agree with the Director General that no one is above the law. Not even the Archbishop himself. However, the law should not be weaponized and used to harass innocent citizens. In this particular case, the Archbishop is too divorced from any potential wrongdoing, and the DG owes the Zambian people an explanation as to why he saw it fit to issue a Call Out against the Archbishop.
I have no doubt in my mind that the Archbishop’s reputation and good standing in society has been irreparably damaged, as a direct result of the malicious actions of the Director General of the Drug Enforcement Commission. I also have no doubt that in this whole debacle, the DG harbored malice towards the Archbishop. At this point, the question that we should perhaps ask the DG’s appointing authority; President Hakainde Hichilema, is whether this is the caliber of individuals that should head our law enforcement agencies?
SYMBOLISM OF ARCHBISHOP BANDA’S VESTMENTS AT THE DEC OFFICES
When Archbishop Dr Alick Banda presented himself at the offices of the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), his choice of attire went beyond mere personal preference; it constituted a deliberate sartorial statement.
His ensemble, comprising a black cassock with red piping and buttons, a fuchsia zucchetto, sunglasses, and a large gold pectoral cross contributed to a narrative of resilience, spiritual authority, and perhaps even defiance against perceived external pressure.
The black cassock is the foundational garment of the Catholic clergy, signifying humility, dedication, and separation from secular vanity. However, the addition of red piping and buttons elevates this symbolism. In the hierarchy of the Church, red is historically associated with cardinals, symbolizing their readiness to shed blood for the faith, though this colour scheme is also used by some archbishops to denote their high status within the local hierarchy or as a mark of distinction. By wearing this enhanced version of the cassock, Archbishop Banda projected an image not merely of a priest, but of a seasoned leader standing firm. In the context of an investigation, the red subtly imply martyrdom or persecution, positioning the religious institution as under duress from secular forces.
The zucchetto, or skullcap, is a direct indicator of rank. While cardinals wear scarlet and bishops wear purple or violet, the use of fuchsia, or a very bright magenta, demands attention. This vibrant colour contrasts sharply with the sombre black, ensuring visibility. It announces his episcopal rank unmistakably.
Furthermore, the large gold pectoral cross, suspended on a substantial chain, is perhaps the most potent symbol. The pectoral cross signifies his role as a shepherd, bearing the cross of Christ. Its size and material gold emphasize the enduring, transcendent nature of his spiritual mandate, suggesting that the issues being investigated are secondary to his divine commission. When standing before secular investigators, the cross asserts a higher moral and spiritual jurisdiction.
The inclusion of sunglasses in this formal, semi-liturgical ensemble adds a layer of modern, perhaps even guarded, engagement. Sunglasses serve to obscure the eyes, traditionally considered the windows to the soul. In a highly publicized event, this element introduces an aura of inscrutability and psychological protection. It suggests that while he is physically present to comply with legal procedure, his internal reaction and focus remain private and inaccessible to the inquisitors or the media observing the event. It signals control over his own emotional presentation in a vulnerable situation.
Thus, Archbishop Dr Banda’s choice of dress when visiting the DEC offices was a masterclass in symbolic communication. The black and red cassock asserted hierarchical status and implied steadfastness; the fuchsia zucchetto and gold cross reinforced his spiritual mandate; and the sunglasses provided a necessary psychological shield. In a setting designed for secular inquiry, the vestments served to sanctify the space, project institutional strength, and clearly delineate the boundaries between temporal law and spiritual authority.
The entire assemblage was a carefully constructed performance designed to manage public perception and assert ecclesiastical dignity under pressure.
ARCHBISHOP BANDA QUIZZED OVER ALLEGED ZRA VEHICLE GIFT
By Nelson Zulu and Cecilia Zyambo
The Drug Enforcement Commission –DEC- this morning interrogated Lusaka diocese Archbishop Alick Banda over a Toyota Hilux allegedly belonging to the Zambia Revenue Authority –ZRA- which was given to him as a gift in 2020.
Archbishop Banda arrived at the DEC offices around 10:20hrs in the company of his lawyers, opposition leaders and catholic faithful after concluding mass at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus.
The interrogation lasted about two hours and Archbishop Banda later returned to the Cathedral of the Child Jesus accompanied by his lawyers, who did not disclose the outcome of the interview.
And during the procession to DEC, police led by Lusaka Province Deputy Police Commanding Officer Ronald Zambo described the procession as illegal and urged Archbishop Banda’s sympathizers to disperse.
The Drug Enforcement Commission is yet to issue a statement.
Earlier, a mass service was held at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus, pope square to show solidarity to the Archbishop.
Scores of Lusaka residents including opposition political party leaders among them, Socialist Party President Fred M’membe, United Liberal Party President Sakwiba Sikota, National Democratic Congress President Saboi Imboela, and Patriotic Front presidential hopefuls attended the mass.
In his homily, Archbishop Banda said those who suffer persecution for their service to god will be reunited and find joy in the lord Jesus Christ.
The Drug Enforcement Commission –DEC- has formally warned and cautioned Lusaka Archdiocese Archbishop ALICK BANDA in connection with investigations into the alleged unlawful possession of a motor vehicle.
In a statement issued to ZNBC news by DEC Public Relations Officer ALLAN TAMBA, the Commission said the action was taken through its Anti–Money Laundering Investigations Unit -AMLIU.
Mr. TAMBA says the investigations relate to a Toyota Hilux motor vehicle bearing registration number ALF 7734, which is alleged to be property of the Zambia Revenue Authority -ZRA.
According to the DEC, Archbishop BANDA is suspected to have been in possession of the vehicle between April 22, 2021 and December 27, 2023.
Mr. TAMBA said the vehicle is reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained from ZRA, an offence contrary to Section 319(a) of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
He stated that when given an opportunity to explain how he came into possession of the motor vehicle, Archbishop BANDA opted to remain silent.
Mr. TAMBA said investigations into the matter are ongoing and that the public will be informed of the outcome at an appropriate time.
SACCORD CALLS FOR RESOLUTION TO LATE PRESIDEDNT LUNGU’S BURIAL DELAY
SOUTHERN African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes Director, Arthur Muyunda, has urged government and the family of late former President Edgar Lungu to bring an end to the prolonged delay surrounding his burial, saying the matter has taken too long to resolve.
Mr. Muyunda says there is no justification for the country to continue going back and forth over the burial arrangements, stressing that the former head of state deserves to be laid to rest.
Speaking in an interview with RCV News, Mr. Muyunda called for a clear national consensus on how the issue should be resolved, noting that as a former president, Mr. Lungu’s burial should be handled with dignity.
“The options are for the family to bring the remains into the country for a private burial or allow the government to repatriate the body and conduct a dignified state funeral.,” said Mr. Muyunda.
He expressed disappointment that dialogue between the family and the government has stalled, especially after mediators withdrew from the process.
Mr. Muyunda has since urged both the government and the Lungu family to set aside political differences, emphasizing that matters of death should unite, not divide, the nation.
He said politics should not be allowed to overshadow the need to give the former Head of State a respectful burial.
PF CADRES SEARCH M’MEMBE AND STEAL HIS PHONE AT DEC
Socialist Party owner Fred M’membe has lost his phone at the DEC premises where he has gone to offer solidarity to Alick Banda who is being questioned for the stolen Hilux which was found in his possession and also bags of money which he has been hiding at the Parish from ECL.
M’membe was searched by PF cadres who were clamouring around him as he wanted to force himself inside the DEC offices where the interview is taking place from.
As he was busy telling the police that I am a Loya, I am Loya, the cadres were also busy in his jacket pockets.
BISHOP ALICK BANDA LOST TRUST BY STAYING SILENT ON PF CRIMES ; FIGHTING CORRUPTION REQUIRES CONSISTENCY, NOT FAVORITISM
It will be impossible to fight corruption and the abuse of public resources in Zambia if every time someone is held accountable, we pick sides.
The recent summoning of Bishop Alick Banda by DEC highlights a harsh truth about Zambia: we are often not honest with ourselves. We have short memories that fail to reflect what a truly just society should be.
A just society protects the less privileged. For decades, the Catholic Church has been a voice for such advocacy, from highlighting the cost of living to calling out government inefficiencies. But what happens when public resources fall into the hands of a few without due process? Who protects the Church’s credibility and its advocacy then?
Consider this: the person who distributed the vehicles is in prison, yet no one is speaking out on their behalf. Why are politicians not protesting for this individual?
Bishop Alick Banda enjoyed a strong relationship with the previous administration, which likely explains why he received this gift though we have no idea how many others he may have accepted. I have challenged him, and I will continue to challenge him, to be transparent. A man of God cannot remain silent while citizens are killed, or public resources abused. Silence in the face of injustice erodes integrity.
If this is the Zambia we are building, I am deeply concerned. The Church should lead by example encouraging the government to hold everyone accountable, without fear or favor. That is how we build a better Zambia.
Had ZRA given these vehicles to churches directly, I would have welcomed it. Our citizens face serious challenges every day. Seeing a religious leader accept such gifts while staying silent on PF injustices sends the wrong message.
I maintain my gratitude to leaders like Bishop Mpundu, who confronted PF criminality. Yet, the likes of Bishop Alick Banda were dining with murderers (PF). Men like Bishop Mpundu even if I see them protesting loudly against the government today have my respect because they stood up early. Not those who watched thugs kill and abuse women in public without speaking out.
Bishop Alick Banda may gather thousands or even millions of sympathizers, but deep down, he knows he failed this country as a religious leader.
The PF administration, which killed citizens without shame, cannot be excused. I challenge him to show the day he publicly denounced these atrocities.
Zambia deserves accountability, fairness, and courage regardless of titles, positions, or influence. Anything less is a betrayal of our people.
Sikaile C. Sikaile Sichifulo Constituency Aspiring MP 2026
POLICE PEACEFULLY DISPERSE OPPOSITION CADRES AT DEC PREMISES
Date: 05 January, 2025.
The Zambia Police Service this morning dispersed a large group of opposition cadres who had gathered at the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) offices and attempted to force entry, reportedly seeking to sit with Allick Banda inside the premises.
Authorities confirmed that the situation was brought under control without the use of force and no injuries were recorded.
The operation was carried out in a calm and professional manner, ensuring public safety and the protection of state property.
BISHOP Alick Banda walks from the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in Longacres to the Drug Enforcement Commission escorted by opposition leaders and their supporters!
(ECZ says it is aware of schemes by some political parties to launch hostile cadres into Chawama and Kasama, to destabilise peaceful campaigns ahead of the elections.👇)
UPDATE ON THE CHAWAMA CONSTITUENCY PARLIAMENTARY AND KASAMA
PRESS STATEMENT (For Immediate release)
MAYORAL BY-ELECTIONS The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) wishes to inform members of the public and all electoral stakeholders that it is closely monitoring activities surrounding the electoral environment in Chawama Constituency of Lusaka District, and Kasama District respectively. The Commission is scheduled to conduct a Parliamentary byelection in Chawama on 15th January 2026, and a Mayoral by-election in Kasama on 29th January 2026.
The Commission notes that campaigns in both Chawama Constituency and Kasama District have, so far, been conducted peacefully, largely due to the adherence by political parties and candidates to the approved campaign timetables and the Electoral Code of Conduct.
However, the Commission is aware of schemes by some political parties to launch hostile cadres into Chawama and Kasama, to destabilise peaceful campaigns ahead of the elections. The Commission wishes to warn political parties that violence or indeed any other abrogation of the Electoral Code of Conduct may lead to their suspension from the campaigns.
In this regard, the Commission wishes to further remind participating political parties and stakeholders that the Zambia Police Service, as a key partner in the electoral process, remains engaged on the ground and is monitoring the electoral environment to ensure the maintenance of law and order before, during, and after the poll.
The Commission calls upon all political parties, candidates, and their supporters participating in the Chawama Constituency Parliamentary by-election and the Kasama Mayoral by-election to continue conducting their campaigns peacefully and in strict adherence to the approved campaign timetables and the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The Commission emphasizes that peaceful conduct by all stakeholders is critical to the integrity of the electoral process.
Brown Kasaro Chief Electoral Officer For/The Commission ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA
Stay away from illegal processions, Mwiimbu warns public over Archbishop Banda’s summon
HOME Affairs and Internal Security minister Jack Mwiimbu has warned members of the public to stay away from any illegal processions linked to the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) summon of Lusaka Archbishop Alick Banda.
Mwiimbu said government will not tolerate actions that threaten public peace, following calls by some politicians and groups for solidarity marches and escorts to DEC offices.
“Members of the public are advised not to join any illegal procession that is being called for… because law and order must be maintained at all times,” Mwiimbu warned.
He clarified that while the State respects freedom of worship, such freedoms must not be abused to justify unlawful gatherings.
The Minister assured the nation that police will not interfere with church prayers or any lawful religious activities scheduled by the Church, but warned that the law will take its course if illegal conduct is detected.
“We will not interfere with prayers, but we will not allow illegal processions under the guise of church activities,” he said.
Mwiimbu reiterated that the DEC summon is a lawful process and that appearing before law enforcement agencies is an individual responsibility that should not be turned into a public spectacle.
He urged citizens to allow investigative institutions to perform their duties without pressure or intimidation.
Bwezani Mbewe Writes: FROM MASS TO DEC — LAMENTATIONS OF A CATHOLIC – ULENDO WA MTIMA WA MKATOLIKA
I do not speak with anger. I speak with a trembling heart.
Because Catholics are taught early: pain is not always shouted sometimes it is offered.
Sunday arrived the way it always does. The bell rang without hesitation. The altar stood unmoved. Candles burned as if nothing had changed.
Yet everything had changed.
We walked into Mass carrying something heavier than prayer requests. We carried confusion. We carried silence. We carried the ache of a name we love now wrapped in summons.
Alick Banda.
A name we know from blessings. A name we have heard pronounce forgiveness. A name we associate with peace.
Now spoken in corridors where peace is procedural and truth is questioned line by line.
“M’mene muli moto, muli phulusa.” Where there is fire, there is ash.
We know this proverb. We grew up with it. But knowing does not make the ash less painful in the eyes.
To the outside world, this is a developing story. To us, this is pinchwa a sharp, intimate pain that sits in the chest and refuses to leave.
We are torn. Not because we are confused about right and wrong but because we are human.
“Mtima wa munthu ndi wakuya kuposa nyanja.” The heart of a person is deeper than the sea.
How do you ask a Catholic to choose sides when one side kneels before the altar and the other stands before the law?
We believe in accountability. Yes. We also believe in grace.
We believe in the law of the land. Yes. We also believe in the law written on the heart.
From Mass to the DEC what a painful road that is.
From “Let us pray” to “Answer these questions.” From incense rising gently to files opening sharply.
“Chilonda cha mumtima sichioneka, koma chimapweteka.” A wound of the heart cannot be seen, but it hurts deeply.
Look closely in the church today: the old woman fingering her rosary more tightly than usual, as if each bead is holding her together.
The catechist staring longer at the crucifix, as if asking Christ to explain one more time.
The youth, confused wondering whether faith always comes with public humiliation.
“Mwana wa nkhosa akalira, mtima wa amayi umaphuka.” When the lamb cries, the mother’s heart breaks.
The Church is a mother. And today, her heart is breaking quietly.
We are not blind followers. We are not enemies of justice.
But we are Catholics, and we know that carrying the cross does not always mean guilt sometimes it simply means burden.
“Katundu wolemera, umasweka pamodzi.” A heavy load breaks those who carry it together.
That is why we feel it together. Why the pain spreads from pew to pew. Why even those who say nothing are saying everything in their silence.
If you feel nothing, I ask you gently go to a Catholic Mass.
Sit through the silence after Communion. Not the singing. Not the sermon.
The silence.
There you will hear the real struggle. There you will feel why Catholics hesitate to shout. Why we lower our voices instead of raising fists.
“Mkango samalira pamodzi ndi mbuzi.” The lion does not cry the same way as the goat.
Our grief is different. Our faith has taught us patience, even when patience hurts.
We are not saying the truth should hide. We are saying the truth also has weight.
And as this nation watches, as opinions harden and camps form, we kneel and whisper:
“Mulungu amaona, ngakhale anthu akayiwala.” God sees, even when people forget.
From Mass to the DEC, a Catholic walks wounded still praying, still believing, still holding the cross even when the road feels unfairly steep.
And maybe that is faith: not certainty, but staying on the road even when it hurts.
SUNDAY REFLECTION : A COUNSEL TO THOSE WHO STUMBLE BECAUSE OF ME
[A response inspired by an article by my brother, Kellys Kaunda which a shared earlier ]
I read with gratitude the recent article by my dear young brother Kellys Kaunda titled Why Does Dr. Nevers Mumba Attract So Much Debate and Controversy. Gratitude because it is honest, generous, and self-disclosing. His article reveals a deeper wound within our Christian culture that goes far beyond my name, my choices, or my politics.
Mr. Kaunda writes not as an enemy but as one who listened, learned, admired, and was shaped by our Zambia Shall Be Saved ministry and service to God. He speaks for many when he admits that even while opposing my entry into politics, he still voted for me. He reminds the nation that before all the controversy and before all the debates, there was a simple preacher, who obeyed the calling of God that was placed upon his life, and who fed a spiritual hunger of an entite generation, and helped shape the faith of a nation.
Kellys also identifies the heart of the matter. He writes that there are many who today feel abandoned. Many who believe a key source of spiritual nourishment was withdrawn too soon. Many who have never forgiven what they interpret as my departure from the pulpit to a vocation they consider very toxic. This observation requires honesty and a biblical response.
Scripture tells us that John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ and the one who declared “Behold the Lamb of God”, later on found himself abandoned, discouraged, confused,even imprisoned, and with a thousand questions in his mind. In that momment, John sent out a message to the Lord Jesus, from prison, asking: Are you the One who is to come? or should we look for another. John’s problem was not unbelief. It was the fact that his expectations and his reality did not match.
In his response, Jesus did not answer John by defending Himself or by explaining His calling. He simply pointed to the evidence of his obedience and concluded with words that still confront us today.
“BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO DOES NOT STUMBLE BECAUSE OF ME.”
That statement has followed me for many years and it is just as true for me today.
Sometimes believers stumble not because Christ has changed but because they choose to depend on their own human understanding and their own preferred version of how God should work, whom He should use, or where obedience to God starts and ends and where that obedience should or should never lead.
Mr. Kaunda is right. Some of the anger directed at me is not political. It is emotional and spiritual. It is the pain of people who had grown comfortable with a particular expression of my ministry and felt destabilized when God moved the servant into another assignment. They must not worry. I was destabilised to, if not more. Imagine moving from a place where it’s all Hallelujah and praise God, and God sends you into politics where even your best intentions are twisted, rejected, attacked, insulted, betrayed, stolen, sometimes and all this, at great personal cost to you and to your family.
But Scripture prepares us for this.
Joseph did not abandon his family. He obeyed God. Yet it was his own brothers who stripped him, mocked his calling, and sold him. They believed they were justified. Years later Joseph would say You meant it for evil but God meant it for good. Calling does not always look like faithfulness to those watching from the outside.
David did not rebel against his father’s house. He obeyed God. Yet when he stepped onto the battlefield his own brothers accused him of pride and told him to go back to the sheep as though obedience to yesterday’s assignment disqualified him from today’s calling.
Even Jesus Himself faced this contradiction. In Nazareth those who knew Him best stumbled the most. Is this not the carpenter’s son they asked. Scripture tells us He could do few miracles there not because of unbelief from outsiders but because of familiarity that refused to accept God at work in a new way.
So I must ask gently but honestly are we being sincere as believers.?
How and when did we become so comfortable attacking our own while quoting Scripture instead of holding their hands, especially when they anre already in a role which is extremely challenging?. Since when did disappointment become a license or a passport to give someone sustained hostility? When did disagreement turn into an excuse to treat someone with bitterness or hatred?
Some say I abandoned them. But Scripture teaches that a servant does not belong to the audience. He belongs to the Master. Paul planted the seed of the gospel. Apollos watered the same seed. God gave them the increase. If your faith collapses simply because one preacher obeyed a different call, then perhaps your faith had become attached to a vessel rather than anchored in Jesus Christ.
The pulpit is HOLY. But serving the Public is also God given.
“For, for this cause ye pay tribute also; for they are ministers of God’s service, attending continually upon this very thing.” Romans 13:6 ASV
Joseph played a role in governance. Daniel also played a role in governance. Esther played her role in governance. And yet none were accused by heaven of abandoning God. In fact, they are revered in the scriptures. Daniel was used mightily as both a Politician and a Prophet who continued to receive visions and wrote the Book of Daniel into his late years. The Bible has no record of the children calling him names like a “Mushanina Bwali” simply because he obeyed a very difficult call.
Mr. Kaunda recounts moments in my political life that became defining controversies. He also acknowledges that there is more to the story including my own account now available for those willing to read it. History is always more layered than memory allows.
I understand disagreement. I understand disappointment. I even understand grief over change. But bitterness especially when clothed in religious language should trouble us deeply.
Jesus’ words still stand. Blessed is the one who does not stumble because of Me.
Sometimes the stumbling block is not the will of God. Sometimes, It is our failure to accept that which is his will due to our own perceptions of believers that accept the burden of serving beyond our comfort zones.
I remain a servant of God. I remain accountable to Him. And I remain at peace because Scripture and history agree on this truth. Calling is often clarified through controversy not applause.
May we choose to be sincere more than we choose to throw stones at our own. May we apply spiritual Discernment over emotional outrage. And Christ over comfort.
CHARLES CHANDA QUESTIONS DEC OVER CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP SUMMONING Charles Chanda, the leader of the United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ), has raised concerns over the recent summoning of Lusaka Catholic Archbishop Dr. Alick Banda by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC).
Chanda argues that this action distracts from more pressing issues facing Zambia, particularly for farmers who are already struggling.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday , Chanda stated, “As a country, we have just celebrated over 30 plus years of being declared a Christian Nation. Yet, we find ourselves involved in petty issues that do not benefit our communities.”
He further emphasized that the focus should be on the challenges facing citizens rather than the “political pettiness” surrounding church leaders.
Chanda pointed out the significant contributions of the Catholic Church as a global entity and suggested that the DEC’s actions could undermine the church’s important role in society. “The Catholic Church provides care, education, and support for many Zambians. Pulling the Archbishop into this dispute is unnecessary and unfair,” he said.
He also challenged the government to ensure that all religious leaders are transparent about their funding sources. “It is important for everyone, not just the Catholic Church, to declare where they get funds for building their places of worship,” Chanda stated. “This fosters trust and accountability within our communities.”
Chanda’s comments come amid growing tensions between governmental bodies and religious organizations.
As the country continues to navigate its challenges, many are calling for a unified approach focused on the well-being of all citizens.
ZCLU APPEALS FOR PROTECTION AND PEACEFUL ESCORT AS ARCHBISHOP BANDA APPEARS FOR QUESTIONING
By Patricia Mbewe
The Zambian Civil Liberties Union –ZCLU- is appealing to law enforcement agencies to provide protection to individuals peacefully escorting Archbishop Alick Banda to the Drug Enforcement Commission –DEC- today.
ZCLU Executive Director Isaac Mwanza has emphasized the importance of respecting the rights of those escorting the Archbishop while maintaining public order.
Mr. Mwanza has also urged the Church to minimize the number of people escorting the Archbishop to avoid potential chaos and roadblocks.
He has further called for calm and respect for due process as the investigation unfolds, stating that it is essential to allow the law to take its course without unnecessary tension.
Mr. Mwanza has also highlighted concerns about the short notice given for the summons, which he says might make it difficult to control crowds.
The Drug Enforcement Commission has summoned Archbishop Banda for questioning in connection with a vehicle allegedly obtained irregularly from the Zambia Revenue Authority –ZRA-.
#2026BUDGET —Understanding the 2026 National Budget Theme
“Consolidating Economic and Social Gains Towards a Prosperous, Resilient and Equitable Zambia”
What does this theme really mean for you?
At its heart, the 2026 National Budget theme is a promise to citizens. It says this: Zambia has come through a difficult period. We have stabilised the economy, restored credibility, and reopened pathways to growth. The task now is to protect those gains and make sure they are felt in everyday life.
This Budget is about moving from recovery to lasting improvement in incomes, services, opportunities, and dignity.
—Where are we coming from?
Over the past four years, Government has taken difficult but necessary decisions to stabilise the economy and restore confidence. These included:
– Restructuring public debt to stop the country from sinking deeper into crisis;
– Reintroducing free education so that no child is left behind;
– Strengthening health services;
– Expanding social protection for the most vulnerable; and,
– Increasing Constituency Development Fund (CDF) resources so development reaches every constituency.
These reforms were not easy. But they were essential to put Zambia back on a stable path.
—What is different about the 2026 Budget?
The 2026 Budget is not starting from scratch. It is about consolidation—building firmly on what has already been achieved.
In practical terms, this means:
– Making sure free education delivers quality learning outcomes;
– Ensuring clinics are stocked, staffed, and accessible;
– Turning CDF allocations into visible projects and jobs in communities;
– Protecting social protection programmes so the most vulnerable are not left behind; and,
– Managing public debt responsibly so future generations are not burdened
The focus is no longer just on reform for its own sake, but on results that citizens can see and feel.
—Is the Budget already in effect?
Yes. The 2026 Budget took effect on 1 January 2026.
To keep citizens informed and involved, Government will hold a National Townhall Meeting on 29 January 2026, bringing together:
– Citizens; – The private sector; – Civil society; and, – Public institutions.
This is part of a broader commitment to transparency, inclusion, and dialogue.
—What challenges does Government acknowledge?
The Government is clear-eyed and honest. Many households are still under pressure.
The cost of living remains a concern. Climate shocks have affected electricity supply, disrupting homes and businesses. Many small businesses struggle to access affordable financing. Young people are still searching for decent jobs.
These are real, lived challenges not abstract statistics. The 2026 Budget is framed with empathy and urgency to respond to them.
—What does this Budget mean for ordinary citizens?
For citizens, this Budget is about everyday dignity, including:
– Affordable food and stable prices;
– Reliable electricity and water;
– Functioning clinics and quality schools;
– Jobs and economic opportunities, especially for youth and women; and,
– Fair development that reaches rural and peri-urban communities.
It is also about resilience—making sure that droughts, global price shocks, or supply disruptions do not wipe away hard-won progress.
—What does it mean for businesses and investors?
The theme sends a clear signal of policy consistency and predictability.
The Government remains committed to:
– Fiscal discipline;
– Stable macroeconomic management;
– Transparent public finances; and,
– An enabling investment climate.
Zambia remains open for business, in a sustainable and credible manner.
—How big is the 2026 Budget?
Total estimated expenditure is K253.09 billion, equivalent to 27.4% of GDP.
The Budget will be financed mainly through domestic revenue, supported by grants and carefully managed borrowing from already contracted loans. This approach supports debt sustainability and aligns with the Eighth National Development Plan.
—What are the key economic targets for 2026?
The Government is aiming for:
– Sustained economic growth;
– Inflation within the 6–8% target range;
– A reduced fiscal deficit of 2.1% of GDP;
– Controlled domestic borrowing; and,
– International reserves of more than four months of import cover.
These targets keep Zambia on track towards Vision 2030.
—What role do citizens play?
The success of the 2026 Budget depends on collective effort. Citizens are encouraged to:
– Participate actively in CDF processes;
– Support local businesses;
– Take advantage of skills and empowerment programmes; and,
– Engage constructively and share ideas that strengthen development.
Economic reform works best when it is understood, owned, and seen as fair.
—Sustaining dialogue beyond the Townhall
The Townhall Meeting on 29 January, 2026, is not a one-off event.
The Government will continue to provide weekly, monthly, and quarterly updates on:
– The 2026 Budget;
– Wider developmental programmes;
– Ongoing reforms; and,
– Key policy choices.
Our sustained communication on economic affairs is about building trust through openness and clarity—explaining not just what decisions are made, but why they are made and what they mean for households and businesses.
—A shared national journey
Zambia moves forward best when we move together—with discipline, unity, and shared purpose.
The 2026 Budget season is an opportunity for all of us to contribute to building a prosperous, resilient, and equitable Zambia, where the gains of reform endure and shared prosperity becomes a lived reality for present and future generations.
6) Eighth National Development Plan – 8NDP: https://www.mofnp.gov.zm/?wpdmpro=8ndp-2022-2026
Anti- Corruption Commission Zambia Transparency International IMF Africa Richclass Connections Ministry of Finance and National Planning, #mofnp, Lusaka-Zambia Pensions and Insurance Authority Zambia Revenue Authority Bank of Zambia World Bank State House – Zambia
RUSSIA SAYS IT CAN KIDNAP GERMANY CHANCELLOR AND PROSECUTE HIM RIGHT THERE IN BERLIN OR ZELENSKY AFTER ALL HIS TERM ENDED LONG TIME AGO.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he could imagine abduction operations targeting foreign leaders similar to the recent U.S. action in Venezuela, singling out German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as a possible example.
“The kidnapping of the neo-Nazi Merz could be an excellent twist in this carnival of events,” Medvedev, who is now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, was quoted as saying by the state news agency today. Such a scenario was not unrealistic, he added.
“There are even grounds for prosecuting him in Germany, so it would be no loss, especially since the citizens are suffering needlessly,” Medvedev said.
Medvedev, who served as Russian president from 2008 to 2012, has in recent years emerged as one of the Kremlin’s most outspoken hardliners, frequently delivering aggressive rhetorical attacks against Ukraine and the West.
He also said claims by the Trump administration that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested in a U.S. military operation over the weekend and taken to New York, was illegitimate and did not withstand scrutiny.
Medvedev then turned to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying that his term in office had long expired he could too be captured and flown to Moscow for trial. The former Kremlin boss says the menu is big even British Prime Minister can be an easy one for that matter due to his careless mouth we can easily pick him.
He said Russia has everything at it’s disposal the only thing standing in the way was the respect for international law and rules of war which no longer exists thanks to Us president Donald Trump. It’s not clear why Medvedev is speaking like this but as deputy chair of the security council he is a full fledged Kremlin member who’s words can not be taken as a joke.
Moscow has consistently claimed Zelenskyy is an illegitimate leader because elections have not been held. Zelenskyy, however, remains in office under Ukraine’s constitution, which allows for the extension of presidential terms during wartime.
LET US BUILD THE COUNTRY BASED ON LOVE – PRESIDENT HICHILEMA
January 4, 2026
Kasama – President Hakainde Hichilema has called on Zambians to build the country on love, peace, unity, and hard work, saying these values are essential for sustainable national development.
Addressing the congregation, Mr. Ngoma said the President of the republic of zambia desires a peaceful and united Zambia where citizens are committed to productivity and shared responsibility.
He emphasized that national development can only be achieved through hard work and a positive mental shift, adding that unity among citizens remains key to the country’s stability.
The message was delivered on his behalf by the Special Advisor for Political Affairs, Mr. Levy Ngoma, when he worshipped with Christians at the Pentecostal Holiness Church, Transformation Christian Center, in Kasama.
The church service was presided over by guest Bishop William Omolo from Kenya, who preached on hard work and mental transformation.
Quoting Genesis 2:15, Bishop Omolo reminded believers that God gave mankind work before suffering and sin, stressing that diligence is a fundamental biblical principle. He encouraged Christians to embrace hard work as a pathway to self-reliance and progress.
Mr. Ngoma also thanked the Church for its active role during the Bill 7 consultation process, noting that prayers and constructive submissions from faith-based institutions helped guide national dialogue amid misinformation which could have set the country ablaze.
He said even amidst propaganda, the President chose dialogue over confrontation, reinforcing his commitment to peace and inclusiveness in the country.
Reinforcing the President’s message, Mr. Ngoma urged believers to avoid division and selectiveness, calling for unity anchored in love, which he described as the greatest commandment. He said hard work enables citizens to provide for themselves and share with others.
Meanwhile, Resident Pastor Lucky Tembo thanked the President, through Mr. Ngoma, for consistently promoting peace and unity, saying such leadership inspires confidence among citizens and strengthens national cohesion.
He said that based on the information given by Mr. Ngoma, especially on delimitation and inclusivity, one of the clauses in the Constitution Amendment Act No. 7 of 2025 is good.
ZELENSKY BEGS TRUMP TO CAPTURE PUTIN AND END THE WAR QUICKLY JUST LIKE HE HAS DONE TO MADURO.
As the world reels from the U.S. military strikes on Venezuela and the reported capture of President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has seized the moment to call for similar action against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a statement that has sparked global debate, Zelensky suggested that the U.S. should capture Putin next, saying, “If it is possible to deal with dictators like that, then the United States of America knows what to do next.”
For ordinary Ukrainians enduring daily blackouts, high prices, and the grind of a war now in its fourth year, Zelensky’s words bring a mix of hope and frustration, reminding them how far-off events can influence their own fight for freedom. This bold remark comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of Maduro’s detention, a move Zelensky sees as a model for handling authoritarian leaders like Putin.
In a conflict that has claimed over 50,000 Ukrainian lives and displaced millions, Zelensky’s call highlights the desperation for decisive action against Russia, which has occupied 18 percent of Ukraine’s territory since 2022.
As South Africans reflect on our own history of international solidarity during apartheid, Zelensky’s suggestion resonates as a plea for global powers to step up against aggression.
With Putin facing an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes since 2023 and a bounty on his head, Zelensky’s words fuel speculation about potential U.S. moves, but they also raise risks of escalation in an already tense Europe.
In 2026, this could shift dynamics in the Ukraine-Russia war, where stalled fronts and economic strains have left people weary but resolute.
Eyewitness accounts from Venezuela’s strikes describe chaos, drawing parallels to Ukraine’s own experiences with Russian bombardments.
Zelensky’s statement, made during a press conference, positions the U.S. as a key player in dealing with dictators, but it also draws criticism for potentially provoking Putin.
As global reactions pour in, let’s explore the context, implications, and what this means for international relations. President Volodymyr Zelensky made his remarks in response to the U.S. capture of Maduro, seeing it as a blueprint for action against other authoritarian leaders.
“If it is possible to deal with dictators like that, then the United States of America knows what to do next,” he said, directly suggesting the U.S. target Putin.
This comes as Zelensky pushes for stronger Western support in Ukraine’s war against Russia, where recent Russian advances in Donbas have raised alarms.
Zelensky’s words echo his frustration with stalled peace talks and what he sees as insufficient action against Putin, who faces an ICC arrest warrant for war crimes since March 2023.
The warrant accuses him of deporting Ukrainian children, a charge Russia denies. Zelensky has long called for Putin’s isolation, and this statement amplifies that in light of Maduro’s fate.
For Ukrainians, this brings hope a quick resolution like Maduro’s could end the war that’s displaced 6 million and caused economic losses of $500 billion. But it also risks escalation, as Putin could see it as a direct threat.
The U.S. operation began in the early hours of January 3, 2026, with airstrikes hitting military sites in Caracas, La Guaira, Miranda, and Aragua states. Residents reported explosions, low-flying aircraft, and blackouts, leaving hospitals struggling and families in fear.
Trump announced Maduro’s capture on social media, sharing a photo aboard the USS Iwo Jima as proof.
He claimed it targeted a “narco-state,” but boasted about tapping Venezuela’s oil reserves. Maduro denied the capture in an address, declaring emergency and mobilising forces.
This hybrid assault avoided full invasion but risked wider war. Venezuela’s defiance, with street fighting reported, shows resistance. Global outcry from Brazil, Colombia, Russia, and China condemns it as imperialism. Leaders worldwide slammed the U.S. actions. Brazil’s Lula condemned it as crossing “an unacceptable line,” urging a summit. Colombia called it “bombing Caracas,” Mexico urged calm. Russia vowed aid, China labelled it aggression. The UN warned of humanitarian woes. Oil jumped 5 percent, hitting importers like SA.
South Africa called for emergency UNSC meeting, viewing it as a peace threat. This backlash isolates U.S., straining Latin ties. Zelensky’s call could boost morale in Ukraine, where war fatigue sets in after 1,000 days.
But it risks provoking Putin, who might escalate attacks on Kyiv. In 2025, Russia advanced in Donbas, displacing 100,000. The ICC warrant on Putin since 2023 for child deportations adds weight, but enforcement is hard. Zelensky’s words draw parallels to Maduro, seeing both as dictators, but ignore differences Venezuela’s internal crisis vs Russia’s invasion.
Venezuela’s reserves 17 percent global make it key. Strikes disrupt production, with oil up 5 percent. Globally, shortages could worsen if fighting grows. Venezuela’s 800,000 barrels daily in 2025 were vital for allies like China.
For Trump, this tests policy, risking war. Maduro’s defiance suggests resistance, drawing allies.
For 2026, this could define relations, with hopes for dialogue. Venezuelans pray for peace, uncertainty looms. In a connected world, this affects all calling for wisdom over force.
ZAMBIA | The Auditor General says the University of Zambia owes more than K10.2 billion to parastatals, suppliers and former staff, with K5.2 billion dating back to 2011. The report also flags failure to submit audited accounts and capacity breaches at UNZA’s Kitwe School of Nursing.
Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa Wrote;
Yes, I worked for the University of Zambia (UNZA) for seven years. At the time of my exit, UNZA owed me over one million Kwacha in unpaid terminal benefits and more money in unpaid gratuity. The Registrar’s office wrote to me stating that
“I would like to request you to kindly bear with the Institution which is behind in the payment of gratuity and other benefits. This means that the University will not be able to pay you immediately, but you will be placed on the list of those yet to be paid. By copy of this letter, the Chief Financial Officer’s office is kindly requested to take note and act accordingly. Finally, on behalf of the University Management, I wish to thank you most sincerely for the invaluable service you have rendered to this institution and wish you every success in your future endeavours.”
Several years later, I have not been paid a cent of what the University of Zambia owes me for what they called my “invaluable service…rendered to this institution”. In addition to the fact that I have been made to wait for my money indefinitely, I have been removed from the payroll. If I decide to sue UNZA one day, I should not be blamed.
Former President of Malawi Hastings Kamuzu Banda was not officially married but he lived with a woman called Mama Cecilia Kadzamira who was fondly known as “official hostess” at State House.
Banda ran a brutal regime and many Malawians fled the country in fear. Elias Zakeyo Banda – who owned huge farmland – fled into Zambia in 1972 and left properties in Malawi. He owned ‘Tichitenji Farm’ which was on title since 1968.
Strangely, after he fled, the farm was given to the President who later surrendered it to Government in 1978. The Minister then offered it to the President “wife” the same year. She developed it and has since lived there for over 40 years.
Suddenly, the family of Banda (he died) who had fled into Zambia appeared on the farm after change of government in 1994. This was after the bank handed them title deeds which showed they owned the Tichitenji farm. Banda had left titles with the bank before he fled.
Mama Kadzamira rushed to Court and filed an application for injunction and claimed the Banda family were trespassers on her farm. She argued that she had been in possession of that farm for over 40 years without anybody claiming ownership.
But the Banda’s claimed the farm was theirs as title deeds were never canceled when their father fled Malawi. Simply, they had superior interest on the land as they acquired it in 1968 while the Madam only came much later.
The High Court heard both sides and ruled that the ‘Madam’ did not acquire good title even if she has lived on that farm for over 40 years. Her title was inferior to the one issued earlier.
“The evidence establishes that the lease held by the estate of the late Elias Zakeyo Banda was registered earlier in time and has never been lawfully canceled, surrendered, or forfeited,” the Court said. “The Court is therefore satisfied that, as between the Claimant and the estate of the defendants, the estate of the late Banda holds superior title to the land commonly referred to as Tichitenji Estate,” the Judge ruled.
The Court observed that no records were presented to Court to show how the former President had acquired this land which was on title and later surrendered it through “Deed of Surrender” the State and only to be given to his Mistress.
“A grant made in violation of an existing registered interest is incapable of conferring valid title. The root of title is tainted by successive violations of settled principles of law,” the Judge said and dismissed the claim of trespass.
He added that the President surrendered land that he legally did not own as no instrument was shown how he acquired it from the registered owner. Therefore, the ‘Madam’ should have done due diligence before accepting the offer from Ministry of Lands.
“If the surrender was null and void, the land never reverted to Government. In those circumstances, the Minister acted without legal capacity when purporting to issue a lease to her,” the Court said.
Case citation – Mama Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira v Subject Traditional Authority Kawere & Others – Civil Cause No. 373 of 2020 and Judgement delivered last week on 30th December, 2025.
Lecture notes;
1. The legal principle in this case of Malawi are similar to Zambia. Where there are two competing titles, the earlier registered one takes precedence unless it was legally canceled or surrendered. In Zambia, cancellations is usually through re-entry and then it reverts back to the state.
2. Like in Zambia, Malawi also does not recognize adverse possession of land. Even though Mama lived on that farm for over 40 years, she did not acquire any rights because her title deeds was defective.
Outspoken opposition politician Job Sikhala says he will expose individuals he claims are plotting to assassinate him when his case goes to trial in South Africa later this month.
Sikhala is currently out on bail after explosives were allegedly discovered in a vehicle he was travelling in last November while in South Africa. He has remained in the neighbouring country since his arrest and says he will return to Zimbabwe playa the matter is concluded.
The former Chitungwiza legislator has consistently denied the charges, insisting that the explosives were planted in his uncle’s car by people intent on eliminating him.
“In their relentless desperation, they followed me from Botswana, where I had addressed the Botswana Patriotic Front congress as an invited international guest, to South Africa to assassinate me,” Sikhala said.
“They ended up planting explosives in the car of my uncle, Alexander Thema, to blow me up. After realising their plan had failed, they tried to recruit rogue elements within the South African intelligence system to incriminate me — an antic that has horribly exposed them,” he added.
Sikhala said the trial would reveal evidence pointing to what he described as desperate efforts by individuals based in Harare to silence political opponents.
“Much of the evidence will come out at trial. I will expose how the people in Harare have become so desperate that they resort to trying to assassinate opponents,” he said.
The founder and chief facilitator of the National Democratic Working Group claimed that those targeting him were panicking and had resorted to extreme measures.
“It shows they are panicking and have resorted to terrorism against the masses,” Sikhala said, adding that Zimbabweans would not be deterred from demanding political change.
“Zimbabweans know what they want and will not be stopped from demanding their country back from dictatorship and tyranny. All efforts to subdue the masses will fail. It has failed before, and it will fail forever,” he said.
Sikhala further claimed that 2026 would mark the resurgence of people power, as citizens push back against what he described as oppression.
“No oppressor will defeat the united force of our people,” he said.
He also alleged that he was poisoned by a waiter at a South African hotel in October last year, an incident he said he survived “by the grace of God”.
“The poisoning bore all the footprints of the evil regime,” Sikhala claimed.
Last year, Sikhala’s house in Chitungwiza was damaged by an explosion while he was in South Africa launching his book, Footprints in the Chains: The Life of Job Sikhala.
South African authorities have not publicly commented on Sikhala’s latest claims.
ZAMBIA SHOULD EMBRACE IT’S OWN PEOPLE – HOWARD KUNDA.
President Kunda the hope for Zambians says, Zambia should look outside the box and provide answers to it’s people. He said as Zambia Wake-up Party (ZAWAPA) form Government come August, His Government will look at open door Policies as well as restore the dignity of Zambians.
Zambia is not for the Rich alone but for every Zambian of which His leadership acknowledges that every Zambian is important, He indicated that His Government will work with everyone including opposition leaders.
Commenting on the Development of Drug Enforcement calling on Bishop Alick Banda, Kunda just asked if receiving a gift is now a crime and which law is being used? ZRA knows who bought the vehicle and if they is any issue then it’s wise for the Law Enforcement Agency to check first with ZRA and the purchaser, we can do better as Zambia and let’s not use the Law Enforcement Agency as a way of Installing fear on Zambians as they have already decided who will be President come August 2026.
Zambia Wake-up Party (ZAWAPA) will always provide guidance once called up and we assure our people of an inclusive Government and people driven with Policy revolution Kunda said.
“You Threatened Me with an Axe” – Portable Flees Police After Assaulting Baby Mama
Controversial Nigerian musician Portable has reportedly evaded police custody following allegations of assault against actress Ashabi Simple, the mother of his fourth child. The physical altercation took place on New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1, 2026, when Ashabi visited the singer’s bar in Ogun State.
The Fight for the Title of ‘Wife’
Video footage of the incident shows a heated confrontation sparked by Ashabi’s demand to be recognized as a wife rather than a “baby mama.” In the clip, the actress is seen gripping the singer’s clothing, insisting that he change how he addresses her.
She stated:
“Oya Pami baby, I’m also your wife, you’ve to stop calling me your baby mama.”
In response, Portable shoved her away and firmly reiterated his stance that his only lawful spouse is Bewaji, relegating his other partners to the status of baby mamas.
He said:
“I only have one wife, the rest of you are just baby mamas,”
The rejection escalated the tension, leading Ashabi to respond emotionally:
“Then you will have to kill me, baby.”
Allegations of Assault with a Weapon
Following the chaos, Ashabi and her siblings filed a report with the police for abuse and assault. In an Instagram video, she alleged that the dispute turned violent when she arrived at the bar to bring him food at his request. She claimed the singer slapped her, seized their phones, and even threatened them with a weapon.
She recounted:
“I celebrated the new year in a happy mood with my family. You are the one that called me that you’re in a bad mood, and I told you that I went to my dad’s house for the new year. And you asked me to bring new year food for you and I said ok.
“I called you when I got to your bar, and you asked me to meet you outside. When I got there, we had a minor disagreement and you slapped me, beat me up, seized our phones and threatened my siblings and I with axe,”
Portable escapes Arrest
Ashabi revealed that when law enforcement officers arrived at the singer’s residence to effect an arrest, Portable had already fled the scene. The police met only his pregnant wife, Bewaji, at the house.
Public Reaction
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the public. Many social media users have berated Ashabi, accusing her of having low self-esteem and forcing herself on a man who publicly disrespects her.
A prominent psychologist revealed on Sunday some of the reasons why President Donald Trump rages at reports of his failing physical and mental health.
Trump has recently lashed out at The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times for reporting on his health. After The Journal published its report, Trump posted on Truth Social that he “aced” multiple cognitive exams. He has also called the NYT the “enemy of the people” and called for the outlet to be investigated for reporting on his health.
Dr. John Gartner, a psychologist and former professor, discussed why Trump has such extreme reactions to these reports on a new episode of “The Daily Beast Podcast.”
“No story enrages Donald Trump more than the stories about his physical and cognitive health,” Gartner said. “And there’s a reason for that. One, he knows that he’s covering something up, but two, as a malignant narcissist, the one thing you need to project is strength. It’s okay to be hated and feared, but you have to appear strong. And so this is really it.”
“Donald Trump’s Achilles heel is his brain and now, I guess, a whole bunch of other organs,” he continued. “His ankles, his heart, his his hands. His psychomotor performance is getting worse.”
Gartner noted Trump’s difficulty using the right side of his body, like when he was unable to perform a coinflip during the Army and Navy game, and his struggle saluting with his right hand. Gartner has also noted the right side of Trump’s face drooping when he’s fallen asleep, a sign that he may have recently had a stroke.
“He knows it’s showing his Achilles heel and yet he can’t stop the behavior because it’s involuntary,” Gartner said.
President Donald Trump authorized the unprecedented attack on Venezuela and kidnapping of President Nicholas Maduro Friday night after having escalated military threats against the South American nation for months, but according to two insiders who spoke with the New York Times, it was the “Maduro’s regular public dancing” that was Trump’s breaking point.
“It was one dance move too many for Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro,” the New York Times reported Sunday.
“Mr. Maduro’s regular public dancing and other displays of nonchalance in recent weeks helped persuade some on the Trump team that the Venezuelan president was mocking them and trying to call what he believed to be a bluff, according to two of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the confidential discussions.”
Maduro has been filmed dancing in public multiple times in the lead up to his capture on Saturday, with several instances being documented in the last two months. He was seen dancing onstage during a student rally to a song championing peace in Caracas in late November, and he was filmed dancing with a robot operat
ing with artificial intelligence at the Expo Motores Productivos event on Dec. 22, less than three weeks from his eventual capture.
Some critics, including Dylan Goforth, executive editor of the investigative news outlet The Frontier, perhaps in jest argued that Trump – known to frequently dance at his own rallies – was upset with Maduro for having stolen Trump’s “swag.”
“He was stealing Trump’s swag and had to go,” Goforth wrote Sunday in a social media post on X.
Maduro is currently in New York awaiting trial on drug-trafficking and weapons charges, and Trump announced that the United States would be “running” Venezuela until a transfer of power can be facilitated.
Since Nicolás Maduro’s removal yesterday, I have come across numerous statements on social media accusing anyone who questions the United States’ intervention of effectively sympathising with a tyrant.
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According to this view, raising concerns about the manner of his removal is treated as moral betrayal, as though one must either celebrate foreign-imposed regime change or be branded an apologist for dictatorship.
This framing is not only intellectually dishonest, but it dangerously oversimplifies a far more complex and consequential debate – one that history warns us to approach with caution.
The removal of a dictator often triggers understandable celebration, especially among citizens who have endured years of repression, poverty, and fear.
Few people in their right mind would mourn the fall of a corrupt, heartless authoritarian such as Nicolás Maduro.
His record of economic mismanagement, political repression, and disregard for human rights is well documented.
However, history teaches us that the central question is not simply whether a dictator deserved to fall, but how that fall occurred – and what replaces him thereafter.
Maduro’s removal through foreign intervention raises serious legal, moral, and practical concerns.
Under international law, the forcible removal of a sitting government by an external power shows blatant disregard for state sovereignty and sets a dangerous precedent.
It signals that powerful states may feel entitled to depose any leader they oppose, even one genuinely supported and loved by their own people, as seen when the United States supported coups or regime change in Chile in 1973, ousting democratically elected President Salvador Allende.
More importantly, two wrongs have never made a right.
A brutal ruler does not justify an unlawful process, especially when that process is imposed without the consent of the governed or the establishment of legitimate, inclusive transitional mechanisms.
Removing a man without dismantling the system that sustained him is not liberation; it is political theatre that often ends in deeper suffering.
Those celebrating Maduro’s downfall today may yet find themselves disillusioned tomorrow.
History is replete with examples where externally driven regime change promised democracy but delivered chaos, instability, and prolonged misery.
Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan stand as grim reminders.
Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, and the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan were all forcibly removed through foreign intervention, yet these actions plunged their countries into prolonged violence, fragmentation, and human catastrophe.
Massive jubilation was witnessed across these countries when these leaders were ousted from power, but ordinary citizens soon paid the highest price, while foreign interests quietly secured strategic and economic advantages.
It would be naïve to believe that the United States removed Maduro primarily out of concern for Venezuelan citizens.
Geopolitics is rarely altruistic.
The sidelining of Venezuela’s opposition in favour of working with figures from within the old power structure already signals that this intervention was about control, not democracy.
President Donald Trump has already signaled that his administration is in talks with Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, who has now been installed as the new president, stating that prominent opposition figures like Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado “do not have the support or the respect within the country” necessary to influence the transition.
When the same forces that claim to be liberators ignore credible democratic actors and instead consolidate power through expedient alliances, it becomes evident that the well-being of ordinary citizens is secondary to the strategic interests of external powers.
Acknowledging these realities does not amount to sympathising with Maduro.
On the contrary, it reflects a deeper commitment to genuine democracy and human dignity.
Critiquing the method of his removal is not the same as defending his rule.
This distinction is often deliberately blurred to silence legitimate concerns.
Anyone who questions foreign intervention is hastily labelled an apologist for dictatorship, when in fact they may be among its fiercest critics.
This debate is painfully familiar to Zimbabweans.
In November 2017, after nearly two decades of openly criticising Robert Mugabe’s brutal and destructive rule, I found myself speaking out against his removal through a military coup.
Like millions of Zimbabweans, I understood the joy, relief, and catharsis that accompanied Mugabe’s fall.
He had presided over economic collapse, political violence, and mass suffering.
Celebrations were inevitable, and emotionally justified.
Yet even in that moment of national euphoria, it was clear that something was deeply wrong.
Mugabe was not removed through a constitutional process or a democratic transition, but through a military intervention dressed up as a “non-coup.”
One man was replaced, but the system of repression, militarised politics, and elite corruption remained intact. Worse still, it was reinforced.
I warned then that removing Mugabe without dismantling the architecture of authoritarianism would lead Zimbabwe down an even darker path.
That warning was not popular.
Many accused me of being ungrateful, negative, or even sympathetic to Mugabe.
Yet time has vindicated those concerns.
Today, Zimbabwe is economically weaker, politically more repressive, and institutionally more compromised than it was in 2017.
The promise of “a new Zimbabwe” was an illusion.
The coup did not bring reform; it merely rearranged power within the same predatory elite.
This is precisely the danger facing Venezuela.
Desperation can be blinding.
When people are crushed for too long, any change feels like salvation.
But not all change is progress.
When repression is replaced by externally imposed authority, or by recycled elites serving foreign interests, the cycle of suffering continues – often in more complex and less visible forms.
True liberation is not achieved by force from outside, but through legitimate, accountable, and inclusive processes rooted in the will of the people.
Democracy cannot be airlifted in by foreign troops, nor can it be sustained by proxy rulers lacking popular legitimacy.
Without strong institutions, respect for human rights, and genuine political participation, regime change becomes little more than regime replacement.
The lesson from Zimbabwe, Libya, Iraq, and countless other cases is stark: removing a repressor is not the same as building freedom.
In fact, when removal is driven by foreign interests rather than domestic democratic struggle, the outcome is often worse than what existed before.
Sovereignty may be violated, institutions weakened, and societies fractured beyond repair.
We must therefore guard against allowing our justified hatred of dictators to push us into supporting processes that ultimately harm the very people we claim to stand with.
Moral clarity requires consistency.
If we oppose oppression, we must also oppose unlawful and destabilising methods that masquerade as liberation.
Anything less is intellectual dishonesty.
The fall of a tyrant should mark the beginning of justice, accountability, and renewal – not the opening of a new chapter of exploitation and despair.
If history teaches us anything, it is that the manner in which change occurs matters just as much as the change itself.
And when we ignore that lesson, we condemn future generations to repeat the same painful cycle.
Local businessman Wicknell Chivayo spent New Year’s Day with President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Head of State’s rural home in Zvishavane, a visit that underscored what Chivayo described as his close relationship with the presidency.
The meeting took place while President Mnangagwa was on official leave, but he nonetheless received Chivayo alongside local traditional leaders and villagers from the Mapanzure area.
In a social media post following the visit, Chivayo said he had paid a courtesy call to congratulate the President on his leadership, praising Mnangagwa’s work ethic and describing him as a “servant leader” who remains engaged with national issues even while on vacation.
Chivayo said the President shared reflections from his time during the liberation struggle, including his involvement with the Crocodile Gang, and reiterated his long-standing philosophy of “Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo,” a principle that emphasizes national development driven by Zimbabweans themselves.
He also expressed confidence in the forthcoming second phase of the National Development Strategy (NDS2), saying it would build on gains made under the first phase. Chivayo reaffirmed his support for President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 agenda, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.
Concluding his remarks, Chivayo pledged the loyalty of the youth to the values of the ruling Zanu-PF party and wished the President continued success in steering the country’s development agenda.
Amid the chaos sparked by the Trump administration’s unprecedented attack on Venezuela Saturday, a key deadline for the Justice Department regarding files on Jeffrey Epstein came and went, and House Democrats were happy to put the administration on notice.
“We are sure it’s just a coincidence, but today is the statutory date for the DOJ to explain its redactions in the Epstein file productions,” reads a statement from Democratic lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee shared on social media. “We have not forgotten, and we won’t let up – regardless of the President’s new unconstitutional actions.”
Saturday saw the administration pressed on its unprecedented attack and subsequent capturing of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, but amid all the chaos, the administration had failed to meet the Jan. 3 deadline to explain its redactions to the trove of Epstein files it had published the month prior.
The DOJ was required to release all of its files on Epstein by Dec. 19, but instead, released only a small fraction of its files on Epstein, and with redactions that critics have called unlawful. While the DOJ continued to release additional files on Epstein beyond its Dec. 19 deadline, the agency continued to withhold hundreds of thousands of files, and continued to release them with redactions outside the scope of what law permits.
Additionally, the DOJ stunned critics after announcing on Christmas Eve that it had discovered a “million more” documents related to Epstein.
We are sure it’s just a coincidence, but today is the statuatory date for the DOJ to explain its redactions in the Epstein file productions.
We have not forgotten, and we won’t let up – regardless of the President’s new unconstitutional actions.
A handful of lawmakers have now moved to take matters into their own hands , such as Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), the sponsors of the legislation that forced the Trump administration to release its files on Epstein. Khanna plans to make an announcement with Massie this week as to how they plan to force the administration to release all of the remaining files.
The Trump administration’s repeated justification for capturing Venezuela’s president has been that he was facing criminal charges from the United States, but one political commentator noted that by that same logic, President Donald Trump had just given countries the world over the “green light” to launch their own military invasions.
“If [Chinese President] Xi Jinping invaded Taiwan right now, and toppled the president there, on what grounds would the United States object?” wrote former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan in a social media post on X. “Or have any credibility to say anything?”
Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro was captured Saturday as part of a large-scale military operation greenlit by Trump, and transferred to New York to face trial on charges of narco-terrorism and possession of machine guns.
The operation saw the administration struggle to reconcile the aggressive maneuver with Trump’s purported commitment to non-interventionism, with Vice President JD Vance in particular scrambling to legally justify the attack on social media.
By its own implicit admission, however, the Trump administration had just offered “the green light Xi needed” to invade Taiwan, according to political commentator Jo Carducci, or the green light for Russian President Vladimir Putin to “kidnap [Ukrainian President Volodmir] Zelenskyy,” according to academic Nader Heshemi.
The United States has officially maintained a position of strategic ambiguity as it relates to Taiwan’s sovereignty, though has an immense economic interest in seeing Taiwan maintain a semblance of independence from mainland China. The People’s Republic of China maintains that Taiwan is part of China, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification.
And, according to the political commentators, the Trump administration’s unprecedented attack on Venezuela may have permanently eroded Washington’s moral and legal authority to credibly deter comparable military action by China.
“NO SUPERSTARS, JUST LIONS!” CAMEROON ROAR PAST BAFANA
Cameroon coach David Pagou made it clear after his side’s stunning win that this victory was not about individual brilliance, it was about collective power. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Pagou declared: “The star for us is the team. Football is a collective sport.”
And his words rang true on the pitch.
Cameroon produced a disciplined, fearless performance to defeat South Africa 2–1, silencing the home crowd and underlining their growing unity under new leadership. While South Africa showed flashes of quality, it was Cameroon’s organisation, hunger and togetherness that proved decisive.
Pagou revealed that since taking charge, the message has been clear and fully embraced by the squad: no egos, no passengers everyone fights for the badge. Every tackle, every run and every goal reflected that philosophy.
As the final whistle blew, one thing was undeniable: this Cameroon side doesn’t rely on stars they move as one.
Before the 2024 election, Donald Trump made comments about Venezuela that are now being resurfaced after the president announced a successful mission to “capture” the nation’s leader and his wife.
Ret. Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling is among those who have been critical of the Trump administration’s decisions surrounding Venezuela. Trump declared he plans to have the U.S. take control over the country, as opposed to letting the nation’s constitution do its job, and didn’t rule out having U.S. boots on the ground.
Trump’s reasoning for the mission has publicly been connected to drug trafficking allegations, but a video being shared from a GOP convention in North Carolina shows Trump previously had other motives on mind.
“How about we’re buying oil from Venezuela? When I left, Venezuela was ready to collapse,” Trump said in 2023 at the North Carolina Republican Convention. “We would have taken it over. We would have gotten all that oil. It would have been right next door. But now, we’re buying oil from Venezuela. So, we’re making a dictator very rich. Can you believe this? Nobody can believe it.”
A popular influencer known as Not The Torygraph posted the video, and wrote that, “Trump’s admitting that it’s all about capturing Venezuelan oil.”
A “radical centrist” known as Maine actually flagged the pre-election comments in October, when there was a buildup of naval units.
“REMINDER: During the 2024 campaign, Trump told audience in North Carolina that he wants Venezuela to collapse so he can take all of the oil. Now: Trump amassing naval assets and 10,000 troops in Caribbean and recently admitted CIA has been operating on ground in Venezuela.”
Donald Trump speaking at the North Carolina Republican State Convention 10th June 2023 remarks on Venezuela:
"We would have taken it over, we would have gotten all that oil, it would have been right next door…" pic.twitter.com/JC0v9RNzoW
Matthew Capon, formerly a senior video journalist at the Daily Mirror, also flagged the 2023 video this weekend.
“Donald Trump speaking at the North Carolina Republican State Convention 10th June 2023 remarks on Venezuela,” he wrote, quoting Trump as saying, “We would have taken it over, we would have gotten all that oil, it would have been right next door…”
The Founder of The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, has described how British-Nigerian Boxer, Anthony Joshua, survived a life-ending accident as a Miracle which can only be orchestrated by God.
Joshua recently visited his Fatherland after his bout with Jake Paul to enjoy his holidays until his next fixture, but unfortunately, it didn’t end well for him.
The Professional boxer did not visit home alone; he went with two of his friends who wanted to feel the Nigerian Culture and people.
One day, after a short table tennis game, they decided to move around the city of Lagos, and that’s where Anthony’s friends mysteriously lost their lives after a gory accident.
https://youtu.be/UV96nD1GztE?si=XzfWTURySAahutjA
After the sad incident, it was revealed that Joshua exchanged his seats with one of the deceased because he was blocking the driver’s view, and that’s how he escaped death.
Pastor Adeboye narrated the above rumour and stated that it takes only the Mercy of God to be this lucky because if it were about his instincts alone, he wouldn’t even think about that negative occurrence because Humans are always optimistic.
Calls for President Donald Trump to be impeached following the administration’s arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife grew louder on Sunday.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were arrested by U.S. troops early on Saturday morning in the Venezuelan leader’s palace and flown to the U.S. to face prosecution for narco-terrorism and gun charges. Flores and Maduro’s son, Nicolas, are also named in the indictment, which the administration unveiled following Maduro’s arrest. Following the move, Trump announced that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela for a transition period and didn’t rule out sending U.S. military troops to the country.
The administration’s arrest of the Venezuelan leader set off a firestorm of debate. Republicans mostly celebrated the move while people on the left called for Trump to be removed from office.
“Democrats need to grow a f—— spine and stand up to Trump, along with any Republicans that have a conscience,” progressive congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh posted on Bluesky. “That doesn’t mean strongly worded letters. This man needs to be impeached, convicted, and removed.”
Philosopher and historian Emile Torres argued in his newsletter, “Realtime Technopocalypse,” on Sunday that the arrest of Maduro should set the record straight about whether it’s appropriate to label Trump a fascist. He argued that people have resisted that label because Trump appeared to be an isolationist.
“What a complete joke!” Torres wrote. “Trump has imperialist ambitions just like every other war criminal who’s occupied the Oval Office — though the ambitions of Trump 2.0 seem to be even more flagrant and egregious than those of past presidents.”
“Trump should be impeached a third time for this illegal foreign policy blunder and the blatant corruption that motivated it,” Torres continued. “Unfortunately, I suspect that Trump will get away with this just as he’s evaded justice for his entire adult life.”
Other observers, like lawyer Cathy Gellis, argued that the move may be designed to benefit Trump.
“It seems pretty clear that Trump was trying to extort Maduro – probably in some way that personally benefited him – and when he didn’t pay, Venezuela was attacked,” Gellis posted on Bluesky. “When we do eventually have hearings, they should investigate these conversations. But in the meantime: plenty of basis to impeach now.”
President Donald Trump claimed on Sunday that Venezuela is a “dead” country that needs “big investment” from oil companies to survive.
Trump spoke to reporters on Air Force One as he traveled back to Washington, D.C. from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. His comments come after the Trump administration extracted Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife from Venezuela early on Saturday morning, flying them to the U.S. to stand trial on narco-terrorism and gun charges.
The president was asked about the move during a press gaggle with reporters.
“Venezuela, right now, is a dead country,” Trump said. “We have to bring it back. We’re going to have to have big investments from the oil companies to rebuild the infrastructure.”
“The oil companies are ready to go,” Trump continued. “They’re going to go in. They’re going to build the infrastructure. We built it to start off with many years ago. They took it away. You can’t do that.”
Trump: "Venezuela right now is a dead country. We have to bring it back. We're gonna have to have big investments by the oil companies." pic.twitter.com/2Rs56fgWih
Trump’s decision to arrest Maduro happened at a politically sensitive time for the administration. The Department of Justice recently released files from the FBI’s investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein that painted Trump’s relationship with the convicted sex criminal in an unscrupulous light.
Trump has also threatened to invade other countries like Mexico and Colombia if their leaders do not reduce the flow of drugs into the U.S.
North Korea’s government has publicly denounced the U.S. military action in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
North Korea’s Foreign Minister, Pyongyang, called it a grave violation of sovereignty and international law.
Pyongyang described the intervention as evidence of the “rogue and brutal nature of the United States,” accusing Washington of overstepping and undermining the UN Charter.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) and North Korean foreign ministry spokespeople, the U.S. arrest of Maduro was condemned as a “serious encroachment of sovereignty” and a “flagrant violation” of international law.
Pyongyang said the U.S. action further destabilizes an already fragile regional and international situation and urged criticism from the international community.
North Korea’s response also came amid its own ballistic missile launches as they tried to showcase their strength and power.
